UPDATED: OCT 4, 2021 01-OCT-2021, bottle @home, from Chicago, with Ulkløbben. Black and dense with a lasting, brown head. Dry, no sweetness. Ash, smoke, roast, licorice, molases. Big but not huge. Smooth, creamy. This is really a great beer.

UPDATED: SEP 19, 2021 Pours black, with a half inch of very fine meringue-like foam, tannish brown, that leaves very fine lacing. Aroma is roasted malt, black licorice, and molasses. Taste is the same, maybe with a bit of coffee, dark chocolate, and dark fruit as well. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy. This is great.

UPDATED: SEP 18, 2021 Aroma: molasses, vanilla, licorice, toffee, dark dried fruit, wood. Appearance: deep brown color with a little tan head. Taste: molasses, vanilla, licorice, toffee, dark dried fruit, wood, medium-high sweetness, medium bitterness Palate: low carbonation, chewy texture, soft dryness in the finish Overall: excellent. nice drinkability despite its richness.

August 2021. Poured into a Teku glass. Pours black with a creamy brown head. Decent head retention with plenty of lacing. Light carbonation. Full bodied. Oily. Vinous. Complex. Strong roasted malt backbone with notes of bourbon, chocolate, dark cherries, caramel, molasses, oak and licorice. Slightly bitter, dry finish. Solid brew. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

UPDATED: AUG 1, 2021 Couleur noire comme le coeur de Bobby Kotick. Petite mousse brune timide qui se maintient en bordure de verre. Nez doux et gourmand, un peu sucré avec des notes de caramel, de chocolat, de mélasse et de vanille. En bouche c'est très torréfié et grillé, et encore plus en toute fin de bouche. Finale bien boisée et bien tannique également, du coup assez amère et relativement sèche. En cours de route on perçoit la mélasse, le caramel, la vanille, le chocolat, et probablement un peu de Bourbon. Texture plutôt grasse et épaisse. Légère acidité. Sympa, mais trop torréfié/grillé/tannique à mon goût.

2017 vintage. Pours black with a small tan head. Aromas of molasses, roasted malt, chocolate. Full bodied, very complex, so much going on. An incredible beer. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

UPDATED: JUN 9, 2021 A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 Reserve, bottled on 8th December 2016. Poured into a snifter glass. It was a very dark brown to black in colour with a nice one finger brown head that had decent retention, while leaving lots of nice spotty lacing. Aromas of dark malt, moderate roast, chocolate, sweet notes, licorice, molasses, bourbon, oak. Tastes of light bitterness, roasted malts, dark chocolate, light char, sweet notes, brown sugar, licorice, molasses, oak and bourbon on the finish. Creamy, smooth, full bodied with soft carbonation. Overall an excellent classic Imperial Stout with lots of great flavours and not too sweet. A wonderful and enjoyable sipper.

UPDATED: MAY 8, 2021 Pours a dark brown to black with a thin brown ring. Bold aroma of roasted malts and sweet molasses. Thick oily body with some lacing. Lots of dark malts and cocoa flavors and a hint of booze. Finishes smooth with a lingering malty aftertaste. Not too boozy, harsh or bitter. Very Enjoyable
Earlier Rating: 1/22/2018 Total Score: 4
Pours a pitch black with a big thick foamy brown head. Thick oily texture with lots of lacing. Boozy aroma with roasted malts, licorice, and woody note. Thick and creamy full mouth feel. Lots of dark malts, charred wood, molasses, and some spices. Smooth warm finish with long lasting lingering aftertaste. Doesn't taste as boozy as it smells. Very bold flavors with a hefty body. Smooth and very enjoyable. Better than I expected.

UPDATED: APR 7, 2021 12 oz. bottle, pours jet black with a small tan head. Nose is rich and complex, with intense oak, moderate bourbon, dark roasted malt, and some espresso. Flavour is oaky and roasty as hell, with intense oak barrels and dark roasted malt upfront. There’s a bit of black liquorice, leather, and dark bitter cocoa further back. Layered and complex.
Earlier Rating: 1/13/2011 Total Score: 4.4
Jan 2021 review (which I'm not sure should be here, given the slight recipe change): time to update my review to see if I still love this as much. 12 oz. bottle, pours jet black with a small tan head. Nose is rich and complex, with intense oak, moderate bourbon, dark roasted malt, and some espresso. Flavour is oaky and roasty as hell, with intense oak barrels and dark roasted malt upfront. There’s a bit of black liquorice, leather, and dark bitter cocoa further back. Layered and complex. This is just as fabulous as I remember. 9 4 9 4 18 Jan 2011 review: 22 oz bottle, pours black with a brown head. Aroma of oak, bourbon, vanilla, liquorice, chocolate and potent roastiness. Flavour is loaded with bourbon and oak, followed by vanilla, bitter hops, oatmeal and chocolate. Extremely layered and complex, exceptionally well-balanced and an immense treat. 9 4 9 5 18

UPDATED: FEB 28, 2021 Black. Pours nice and thick. The aroma is quite vinous, lots of dark torched fruits, alcohol, and burnt sugars. On the palate, it's burly, rich and bringing a big heavy bourbon signature. Lots of tannins. Light fruitiness, much less pronounced than on the aroma. Rich, rounded. Nice depth, especially that hit of acidity that bashes up against hop bitterness, alcohol and rich sticky sugars.
Earlier Rating: 2/11/2007 Total Score: 3.6
Draught, Archer Ale House

This is pretty fucking black, with a medium brown head. The aroma shows milk chocolate, pecans, wood, alcohol and a touch of ill-fitting whisky. Full body. Creamy, milk chocolatey. Light woody hop notes and standard impy roast. Clean, full-flavoured and very typical PNW hoppy impy type. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing to seperate it from the pack either.